Maintaining conversational cadence in an online social relationship

ABSTRACT

A method for maintaining conversational cadence may include determining, by a processor, a conversational cadence associated with a user in a social network. The conversational cadence may be determined based on a plurality of messages previously transmitted by the user. The method may also include detecting, by the processor, a reduction in the conversational cadence of the user. The method may further include providing, by the processor, a set of fill-in messages that create an appearance to another user in the social network that there is no reduction in the conversational cadence.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/414,842, filed Jan. 25, 2017, which is acontinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/661,719,filed Mar. 18, 2015 which is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/286,378, filed May 23, 2014, the contents ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Aspects of the present invention relate to social networks, and moreparticularly to a method, system and computer program product formaintaining conversational cadence in an online social relationship ornetwork.

Online social networks are a universal mechanism to connect people andinformation in logical and organized ways which enable sharing andprocessing of information between the members of the social network.Common mechanisms for sharing and processing information on onlinesocial networks may include, but is not necessarily limited to, a wallor virtual wall where users or member of the social network can postmessages for other users or members; an activity stream which may be alist of messages or posts received by a user or member and may alsoinclude a list of messages or posts sent by the user or member; atimeline that may chronologically list a series of events, and profilesof users or members that can be accessed for information about aparticular user or member. These mechanisms enable users or members torapidly share information with others and gather information from othersin the network. These mechanisms also enable users or members toestablish and maintain relationships. A cadence, rhythm or systematicflow of communications may be developed between users to maximize therelationship. When a user or group of users are unable to communicatefor one reason or another, the cadence may be lost and the relationshipmay degrade. Accordingly, there is a need for maintaining aconversational cadence between users or participants in a socialnetwork.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method formaintaining conversational cadence may include determining, by aprocessor, a conversational cadence associated with a user in a socialnetwork. The conversational cadence may be determined based on aplurality of messages previously transmitted by the user. The method mayalso include detecting, by the processor, a reduction in theconversational cadence of the user. The method may further includeproviding, by the processor, a set of fill-in messages that create anappearance to another user in the social network that there is noreduction in the conversational cadence.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a system formaintaining conversational cadence may include a processor and a socialnetworking module operating on the processor. The social networkingmodule may include a conversational cadence module. The conversationalcadence module may be configured to perform a set of functions includingdetermining a conversational cadence associated with a user in a socialnetwork. The conversational cadence may be determined based on aplurality of messages previously transmitted by the user. The set offunctions may also include detecting a reduction in the conversationalcadence of the user. The set of functions may additionally includeproviding a set of fill-in messages that create an appearance to anotheruser in the social network of no reduction in the conversationalcadence.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer programproduct for maintaining conversational cadence may include a computerreadable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith.The program instructions being executable by a device to cause thedevice to perform a method that may include determining a conversationalcadence associated with a user in a social network. The conversationalcadence may be determined based on a plurality of messages previouslytransmitted by the user. The method may also include detecting areduction in the conversational cadence of the user. The method mayadditionally include providing a set of fill-in messages that create anappearance to another user in the social network of no reduction in theconversational cadence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further described in the detailed descriptionwhich follows in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way ofnon-limiting examples of embodiments of the present invention in whichlike reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings and wherein:

FIGS. 1A and 1B (collectively FIG. 1) is a flow chart of an example of amethod for maintaining conversational cadence in an online socialrelationship in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block schematic diagram of an example of a system configuredfor maintaining conversational cadence in an online social relationshipin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computerprogram product. The computer program product may include a computerreadable storage medium (or media) having computer readable programinstructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of thepresent invention.

The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that canretain and store instructions for use by an instruction executiondevice. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but isnot limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device,an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, asemiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of thecomputer readable storage medium includes the following: a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portablecompact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD),a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such aspunch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructionsrecorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Acomputer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construedas being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freelypropagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagatingthrough a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulsespassing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmittedthrough a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can bedownloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computerreadable storage medium or to an external computer or external storagedevice via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, awide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprisecopper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wirelesstransmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/oredge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in eachcomputing/processing device receives computer readable programinstructions from the network and forwards the computer readable programinstructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium withinthe respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations ofthe present invention may be assembler instructions,instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions,machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions,state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in anycombination of one or more programming languages, including an objectoriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, andconventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C”programming language or similar programming languages. The computerreadable program instructions may execute entirely on the user'scomputer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone softwarepackage, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computeror entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario,the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through anytype of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide areanetwork (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer(for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example,programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), orprogrammable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readableprogram instructions by utilizing state information of the computerreadable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry,in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to aprocessor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computeror other programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructionsmay also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can directa computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or otherdevices to function in a particular manner, such that the computerreadable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises anarticle of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects ofthe function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram blockor blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other deviceto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer,other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computerimplemented process, such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

FIGS. 1A and 1B (collectively FIG. 1) are a flow chart of an example ofa method 100 for maintaining conversational cadence in an online socialrelationship or network in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. In block 102, metrics related to a multiplicity of messagesassociated with a user or each user or participant in an onlinecommunications network, such as a social network or other network, maybe recorded. As used herein, a message may refer to any type ofcommunications by a user or participant in an online social network orother network using any type of communications application operating onany type of communications device. For example, a message may be a postin an activity stream including a series of posts or communicationsbetween users or participants in an online social network. Examples ofonline social networks which may enable activity streams may include butis not necessarily limited to MySpace, Facebook, IBM Connections, andLinkedIn. MySpace is a trademark in the United States, other countriesor both of MySpace LLC. Facebook is a trademark in the United States,other countries or both of Facebook, Inc. IBM Connections is a trademarkin the United States, other countries or both of International BusinessMachines Corporation. LinkedIn is a trademark in the United States,other countries or both of LinkedIn Ltd.

Examples of metrics related to messages which may be recorded mayinclude but is not necessarily limited to a message type, theapplication used to generate or transmit the message, whether themessage is to or from the user, a timestamp or date and time of day themessage was posted or transmitted, a frequency, average frequency ormean frequency of transmission of messages by a particular user and anyother data or information that may be useful in determining aconversational cadence of a user or participant in an online socialnetwork and detecting any change or reduction in the conversationalcadence of the user.

In block 104, a conversational cadence associated with the user or eachuser or participant in the online social network may be determined basedon a plurality of messages previously transmitted by the user or eachuser utilizing at least some the recorded metrics. As used herein,transmitting a message may also refer to posting a message or any formof conveyance of messages to other users or participants in a network.The conversational cadence may be determined by calculating statisticsrelated to the messages transmitted by a particular user or participant.For example, an average number of messages transmitted by a user duringa selected time duration and a standard deviation from the average maybe calculated for determining the conversational cadence of the user.The selected time duration may be an hour, a selected number of hours, aday, a week or other specified time duration. The conversational cadencemay correlate to at least the average number of messages transmitted bythe user during the selected time duration.

In accordance with other embodiments, the conversational cadence may bedetermined based on an average for an entire system or network, on a peruser basis, based or a group or set of users within a social network, bysetting a threshold number of messages that each user may be expected totransmit or post over a chosen time duration, for example 20 messagesper day, or by any other technique that may permit detection of areduction in the conversational cadence.

Determining the conversational cadence based on an average for an entiresystem or network may include aggregating the number of messages sentwithin the system or network and averaging the number of messages over aset time window, e.g., a 24 hour period, for each user or member. Theconversational cadence may then be calculated as the average number ofmessages per user per the set time window or period.

Determining the conversational cadence on a per user basis may includeaggregating the number of messages set by the user and determining anaverage of the aggregate number of messages per a set time window orperiod. The conversational cadence may then correlate or correspond tothe average number of messages per the set time window.

Determining the conversational cadence for a group or set of users mayinclude aggregating the number of messages for the group and averagingover the set time window. The conversational cadence may then bedetermined as the average number of messages per user per time window.

Once a baseline conversational cadence is established, the baseline canbe compared against a single user's number of messages in a most recenttime window. Generally, the number compared to is calculated over alarger time window. For determining a standard deviation, the number ofmessages sent on a system basis, per user basis or group basis during aset time window may be aggregated similar to that described above. Thestandard deviation may then be calculated in the usual as is commonlyknown.

In block 106, a reduction in the conversational cadence of the user maybe detected. As described in more detail herein, a cadence determinationand monitoring module operating on a processor or computing device maybe configured to determine the conversational cadence associated withthe user and may monitor activity of the user to detect the reduction inthe conversational cadence. Examples of ways of detecting the reductionin the conversational cadence may include but is not necessarily limitedto: detecting a gap of time or gaps of time between messages from theuser longer than a preset time limit; a reduction in the average numberof messages transmitted by the user over a preset time period, forexample, the reduction in the average number of messages transmitted bythe user over the preset time period being less than a predeterminedlimit or threshold; an absence of messages from the user for longer thana predetermined time period, or any other indication of a reduction inthe conversational cadence associated with the user. The time windowover which the number of messages may be monitored for determining areduction in conversational cadence may be set by the user oradministrator for the system or organization. As an example, a reductionin the conversational cadence corresponding to a decrease in the averagenumber of messages transmitted by the user over the preset time periodby two standard deviations may correspond to a sufficient reduction inconversational cadence of the user to trigger providing fill-in messagesas described herein to create the appearance of no reduction in theconversational cadence to other users or participants in the socialnetwork.

In block 108, a number or quantity of fill-in messages over the presettime period or preset time periods may be determined to make up for thereduction in the conversational cadence or gap in messages and to createthe appearance to the other user or users of no reduction in theconversational cadence of the user. A signal may be transmitted to afill-in message selection and posting module in response to detectingthe reduction in the conversational cadence of the user for the presetlimit or threshold. The fill-in message selection and posting modulewill provide the fill-in messages based on the number needed to fill-inthe gap in response to the signal.

In accordance with an embodiment, an option may be provided to determinethe quantity of fill-in messages and to provide the fill-in messages ondemand in response to detecting the reduction in the conversationalcadence of the user and a predetermined event. An example of thepredetermined event may include another user contacting the userassociated with the reduction in the conversational cadence or someother event that may call for providing the fill-in messages. Forinstance, a user may navigate to a profile of a particular user that mayhave a reduced conversational cadence because the particular user hasbeen unable for some reason to participate in the social network. If nochange has occurred to the particular user's profile, fill-in messagesmay then be provided to the social network to create the appearance thatthere is no reduction in the conversational cadence of the particularuser and thereby maintain the ongoing relationship between the users.

In block 110, a determination may be made if the number or quantity offill-in messages exceeds a predetermined threshold. If the determinationis made that the number or quantity of fill-in messages does not exceedthe predetermined threshold, the method 100 may return to block 106 andthe method 100 may continue similar to that previously described. If thenumber of fill-in messages exceeds the threshold, the method 100 mayadvance to block 112. This feature provides a threshold for notproviding fill-in messages if the number of fill-in messages would beinsignificant. For example, providing a limited number of fill-inmessages, e.g., one or two may not even be noticed by other users,whereas a much larger number of fill-in messages would have an impact inmaintaining the conversational cadence and the social relationships.Accordingly, the fill-in messages would not be provided unless or untilthe number of fill-in messages determined in block 108 exceeds thethreshold.

In block 112, a set of fill-in messages may be provided to create theappearance to other users of no reduction in conversational cadence ofthe user. A type of fill-in messages may be previously specified orselected by the user or default messages may be generated or selected bythe system or method 100 in the event the user has not previouslyspecified or selected a type of fill-in messages to be provided. Thetypes of fill-in messages may be benign-type fill-in messages,business-type fill-in messages or other types or categories of messagesthat may facilitate the ongoing relationship between the user and otherusers of the social network. Examples of benign-type fill-in messagesmay include but is not necessarily limited to weather reports in ageographic location where the user may be traveling as determined basedon a last message or post from the user, airline flight informationbased on a travel itinerary of the user, photographs or images of ageographic location where the user may be located or traveling (thesemay be previously loaded by the user or the system may perform a networksearch to retrieve the photographs or images), emoticons illustrating alast state of the user, stock prices associated with a particularcompany, or other information based on the previous relationship betweenthe user and other users in the social network, such as a previouscourse of communications between the users, the subject matter of thecommunications, etc. between the users. The type of fill-in messages areselected to facilitate maintaining the conversational cadence of theuser with other users in the social network.

Examples of business-type fill-in messages may include but is notnecessarily limited to messages indicating that the user is meeting witha client based on detecting that the user is at the client's location,messages derived from previous messages with updates, such as working onproject X.

In block 114, the set of fill-in messages or portion of the set offill-in messages may be retroactively automatically distributed over atleast an earlier preset time period that corresponds to the reduction inthe conversational cadence of the user. The set of fill-in messages maybe distributed based on the conversational cadence of the user to createthe appearance to other users or participants that there is no reductionin the conversational cadence of the user. The fill-in messages may bepredated to correlate with the conversational cadence associated withthe user. Accordingly, the fill-in messages may indicate a timeseparation that correlates with the user's conversational cadence whichwas determined in block 104 or which correlates with the user's usual orcustomary frequency of transmitting messages. The fill-in messages mayalso, optionally, be identified as being transmitted by a system ormachine on the half of the user. For example, each fill-in message mayinclude an indication or obvious notification stating that the fill-inmessage was provided by a system or machine and not the actual user.

In block 116, a schedule for transmission of the set of fill-in messagesor another portion of the set of messages that have not beenretroactively distributed over an earlier time period may be determinedbased on the conversational cadence of the user determined in block 104.In block 118, the set of fill-in messages or other portion of the set ofmessages not retroactively distributed may be transmitted in the socialnetwork according to the schedule. The fill-in messages may be datedbased on the schedule and the fill-in messages may, optionally, identifythat the messages as being transmitted by the system or machine onbehalf of the user.

In block 120, transmission of the fill-in messages may be discontinuedin response to detecting the return of the user to the social network ordetecting another action. Detecting the return of the user to the socialnetwork may include detecting an increase in the conversational cadenceof the user by the user personally posting or transmitting a series ofnew messages. Discontinuing transmission of the fill-in messages byanother action may include receiving a command from the user or a systemadministrator to cancel transmission of the fill-in messages.

The method 100 or system running the method 100, such as conversationalcadence module 212 described with reference to FIG. 2 may be enabled ordisabled by the user. For example, a graphical user interface may bepresented to the user to select whether to enable or disable operationof the method 100. In accordance with an embodiment, a graphical userinterface may be presented to the user for configuring the method 100 tooperate under certain conditions and/or at certain times that may bespecified by the user. The method 100 may also be configured by the userto operate only with respect to certain other users or participants inthe social network or a certain category of user or participant, such asusers in the same organization or group specified by the user.

FIG. 2 is a block schematic diagram of an example of a system 200configured for maintaining conversational cadence in an online socialrelationship in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.The method 100 of FIGS. 1A-1B may be embodied in and performed by thesystem 200. The system 200 may include a processing device 202. Theprocessing device 202 may be a server or similar processing device. Theprocessing device 202 may include a processor 204 for controllingoperation of the processing device 202 and for performing functions,such as those described herein with respect to maintaining theconversational cadence of a user in an online social network. Theprocessing device 202 may also include a file system 206 or memory. Anoperating system 308, applications and other programs may be stored onthe file system 206 for running or operating on the processor 304. Asocial networking module 210 or system may also be stored on the filesystem 206 and may be compiled and run on the processor 204 to performthe functions for organizing messages of a social network similar tothat described herein. The method 100 of FIGS. 1A-1B may be embodied inthe social networking module 210 and performed by the processor 204 whenthe social networking module 210 is compiled and run on the processor204.

The social networking module 210 may include a conversational cadencemodule 212 for maintaining the conversational cadence of user in anonline social network or network as described herein. In anotherembodiment, the conversational cadence module 212 may be a separatecomponent from the social networking module 210 and operate incoordination with the social networking module 210 to perform theoperations described herein.

The conversational cadence module 212 may include a cadencedetermination and monitoring module 214 and a fill-in message selectionand posting module 216. The cadence determination and monitoring module214 may be configured to determine the conversational cadence of a userbased on previous messages transmitted by the user similar to thatdescribed with reference to block 104 in FIG. 1A. The cadencedetermination and monitoring module 214 may also be configured to detecta reduction in the conversational cadence of the user similar to thatdescribed with reference to block 106 in FIG. 1A. The cadencedetermination and monitoring module 214 may further be configured totransmit a signal to the fill-in message selection and posting module216. The fill-in message selection and posting module 216 may beconfigured to determine the number of fill-in messages over a presettime period based on the conversational cadence of the user and mayprovide the fill-in messages to create an appearance to other users inthe social network that there is no reduction in conversational cadenceof the user similar to that described with reference to blocks 108-120of FIGS. 1A-1B.

The cadence determination and monitoring module 214 may also beconfigured to continuously monitor the activity of the users in theonline social network. The cadence determination and monitoring module214 may adjust or reset the conversational cadence of a user in responseto determining that the conversational cadence of the user has changedby either increasing or decreasing over a certain time period duringwhich the system or social networking module 210 confirms that the useris active and personally generating and transmitting messages in thesocial network.

The processing device 202 may also include one or more input devices,output devices or combination input/output devices, collectively I/Odevices 218 in FIG. 2. The I/O devices 218 may include, but are notnecessarily limited to, a keyboard or keypad, pointing device, such as amouse, disk drive and any other devices to permit a user to interfacewith and control operation of the processing device 202 and to accessthe social networking module 210 or system. At least one of the I/Odevices 218 may be a device to read a computer program product, such ascomputer program product 220. The computer program product 220 may besimilar to that described in more detail herein. The social networkingmodule 210 may be loaded on the file system 206 from a computer programproduct, such as computer program product 220.

A member of a social network or user 222 of the system 200 for socialnetworking may use a computer system 224 or communications device toaccess the processing device 202 or server and social networking module210 or system. The computer system 224 or communications device may beany sort of communications device including a mobile or handheldcomputer or communications device. The computer system 224 may include aprocessor 226 to control operation of the computer system 224 and a filesystem 228, memory or similar data storage device. An operating system230, applications 232 and other programs may be stored on the filesystem 228 for running or operating on the processor 226. A web orInternet browser 234 may also be stored on the file system 228 foraccessing the processing device 202 or server via a network 236. Thenetwork 236 may be the Internet, an intranet or other private orproprietary network.

In accordance with an embodiment, a social networking application 238,feature or module may also be stored on the file system 228 and operateon the processor 226 of the user's computer system 224. The socialnetworking application 238 may include a conversational cadence module240 for maintaining a conversational cadence of a user in response todetecting a reduction in the conversation cadence of the user similar tothat described herein. In another embodiment, the conversational cadencemodule 240 may be a separate module from the social networkingapplication 238 and operate in cooperation with the social networkingapplication 238 to perform the functions described herein. The socialnetworking application 238 operating on the computer system 226 mayinterface with or operate in conjunction with the social networkingmodule 210 or system on the processing device 202 or server to performthe functions and operations described herein for maintaining theconversational cadence of a user or each user. Accordingly,conversational cadence module 238 operating on the computer system 224may perform some of the functions and operations of the method 100 andconversational cadence module 212 operating on the server 202 mayperform other functions of the method 100. Some embodiments of thepresent invention may include only the social networking module 310 andconversational cadence module 212 on the processing device 202 orserver, and other embodiments may include only the social networkingapplication 238 and the conversational cadence module 240 on the clientcomputer system 224 or communications device.

The conversational cadence module 240 may also include a cadencedetermination and monitoring module 242 and fill-in message selectionand posting module 244. The cadence determination and monitoring module242 and fill-in message selection and posting module 244 may performfunctions similar to cadence determination and monitoring module 214 andfill-in message selection and posting module 216 on processing device202.

The computer system 224 may also include a display 242, a speaker system244, and a microphone 246 for voice communications. One or more userinterfaces may be presented on the display 242 for controlling operatingthe social networking module 210, social networking application 238 andconversational cadence modules 212 and 240 for performing the operationsand functions described herein.

The computer system 224 may also include one or more input devices,output devices or combination input/output devices, collectively I/Odevices 248. The I/O devices 248 may include a keyboard or keypad,pointing device, such as a mouse, disk drives and any other devices topermit a user, such as user 222, to interface with and control operationof the computer system 224 and to access the social networkingapplication 238 and social networking module or system 210 on server302. The I/O devices 248 may also include at least one device configuredto read computer code from a computer program product, such as computerprogram product 220.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardwareand computer instructions.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of embodiments ofthe invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the”are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the contextclearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that theterms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification,specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations,elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence oraddition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations,elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to embodiments of the invention in the form disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of embodiments ofthe invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to bestexplain the principles of embodiments of the invention and the practicalapplication, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art tounderstand embodiments of the invention for various embodiments withvarious modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that anyarrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may besubstituted for the specific embodiments shown and that embodiments ofthe invention have other applications in other environments. Thisapplication is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of thepresent invention. The following claims are in no way intended to limitthe scope of embodiments of the invention to the specific embodimentsdescribed herein.

1.-14. (canceled)
 15. A system for maintaining conversational cadence,comprising: a processor; a social networking module operating on theprocessor, the social networking module comprising a conversationalcadence module, the conversational cadence module being configured toperform a set of functions comprising: determining a conversationalcadence associated with a user in a social network, wherein theconversational cadence is determined based on a plurality of messagespreviously transmitted by the user; detecting a reduction in theconversational cadence of the user, wherein detecting the reduction inthe conversation cadence of the user comprises at least one of detectinga reduction in an average number of messages transmitted by the userover a preset time period during a selected time duration being lessthan a predetermined limit and detecting an absence of messages from theuser for more than a predetermined time period; providing, by theprocessor, in response to detecting the reduction in the conversationalcadence of the user, a set of fill-in messages to a communicationsdevice of another user in the social network that creates an appearanceto the other user in the social network of no reduction in theconversational cadence, wherein providing the set of fill-in messagescomprises retroactively automatically distributing a portion of the setof fill-in messages to the other user over at least an earlier presettime period corresponding to when the reduction in the conversationalcadence occurs, wherein the portion of the set of fill-in messages areretroactively automatically distributed over the earlier preset timeperiod that corresponds to the reduction in conversational cadence ofthe user by automatically predating the set of fill-in messages by theprocessor to correlate with the conversational cadence associated withthe user and each message of the portion of the set of fill-in messagesindicating a time separation that correlates to the conversationalcadence associated with the user; and identifying the fill-in messagesas being provided by a system on behalf of the user by including anindication or obvious notification in the fill-in messages that thefill-in messages are provided by a system or machine and not the actualuser. 16.-20. (canceled)
 21. The system of claim 15, wherein the set offunctions further comprise: scheduling transmission of the set offill-in messages based on the conversational cadence of the user;transmitting the set of fill-in messages in the social network accordingto a schedule based on the conversational cadence of the user to createthe appearance of no reduction in the conversational cadence; anddiscontinuing transmission of the set of fill-in messages in response toone of detecting return of the user to the social network or detectinganother action.
 22. The system of claim 21, wherein detecting return ofthe user to the social network comprises detecting an increase in theconversational cadence of the user by the user personally transmitting aseries of new messages in the social network.
 23. The system, of claim21, wherein detecting another action comprises receiving a command fromthe user to cancel transmission of the set of fill-in messages in thesocial network.
 24. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of functionsfurther comprise: scheduling transmission of another portion of the setof fill-in messages based on the conversational cadence of the user;transmitting the other portion of the set of fill-in messages in thesocial network according to a schedule based on the conversationalcadence of the user to create the appearance of no reduction in theconversational cadence; and discontinuing transmission of the otherportion of the set of fill-in messages in response to one of detectingreturn of the user to the social network or detecting another action bythe user.
 25. The system of claim 15, wherein determining theconversational cadence associated with the user comprises recordingmetrics related to a multiplicity of messages associated with the user.26. The system of claim 25, wherein determining the conversationalcadence associated with the user comprises determining an average numberof messages transmitted by the user during a selected time duration, andwherein the conversational cadence correlates to at least the averagenumber of messages transmitted by the user during the selected timeduration.
 27. The system of claim 15, wherein providing the set offill-in messages comprises providing the set of fill-in messages inresponse to detecting the reduction in the conversational cadence of theuser and in response to a predetermined event.
 28. The system of claim27, wherein the predetermined event comprises another user contactingthe user associated with the reduction in the conversational cadence.29. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of functions furthercomprises allowing the user to select a type of message for the set offill-in messages, wherein the type of fill-in messages comprises atleast one of benign fill-in messages and business fill-in messages. 30.A system for maintaining conversational cadence, comprising: aprocessor; a social networking module operating on the processor, thesocial networking module comprising a conversational cadence module, theconversational cadence module being configured to perform a set offunctions comprising: determining, by a processor, a conversationalcadence associated with a user in a social network, wherein theconversational cadence is determined based on statistics related to aplurality of messages previously transmitted by the user; detecting, bythe processor, a reduction in the conversational cadence of the user,wherein detecting the reduction in the conversation cadence of the usercomprises at least one of detecting a reduction in an average number ofmessages transmitted by the user over a preset time period during aselected time duration being less than a predetermined limit anddetecting an absence of messages from the user for more than apredetermined time period; providing, by the processor, in response todetecting the reduction in the conversational cadence of the user, a setof fill-in messages to a communications device of another user in thesocial network that creates an appearance to the other user in thesocial network of no reduction in the conversational cadence, whereinproviding the set of fill-in messages comprises retroactivelyautomatically distributing a portion of the set of fill-in messages tothe other user over at least an earlier preset time period correspondingto when the reduction in the conversational cadence occurs, wherein theportion of the set of fill-in messages are retroactively automaticallydistributed over the earlier preset time period that corresponds to thereduction in conversational cadence of the user by automaticallypredating the set of fill-in messages by the processor to correlate withthe conversational cadence associated with the user and each message ofthe portion of the set of fill-in messages indicating a time separationthat correlates to the conversational cadence associated with the user;determining a schedule for transmission of the set of fill-in messages;and identifying the fill-in messages as being provided by a system onbehalf of the user by including an indication or obvious notification inthe fill-in messages that the fill-in messages are provided by a systemor machine and not the actual user.
 31. The system of claim 30, whereinthe set of functions further comprises transmitting the set of fill-inmessages according to the schedule.
 32. The system of claim 30, whereinthe set of functions further comprises: determining a schedule fortransmission of another portion of the set of fill-in messages based onthe conversational cadence of the user; and transmitting the otherportion of the set of fill-in messages in the social network accordingto a schedule based on the conversational cadence of the user to createthe appearance of no reduction in the conversational cadence.
 33. Thesystem of claim 32, wherein the set of functions further comprises:discontinuing transmission of the other portion of the set of fill-inmessages in response to one of detecting return of the user to thesocial network or detecting another action by the user.
 34. A system formaintaining conversational cadence, comprising: a processor; a socialnetworking module operating on the processor, the social networkingmodule comprising a conversational cadence module, the conversationalcadence module being configured to perform a set of functionscomprising: determining, by a processor, a conversational cadenceassociated with a user in a social network, wherein the conversationalcadence is determined based on statistics related to a plurality ofmessages previously transmitted by the user; detecting, by theprocessor, a reduction in the conversational cadence of the user,wherein detecting the reduction in the conversation cadence of the usercomprises at least one of detecting a reduction in an average number ofmessages transmitted by the user over a preset time period during aselected time duration being less than a predetermined limit anddetecting an absence of messages from the user for more than apredetermined time period; providing, by the processor, in response todetecting the reduction in the conversational cadence of the user, a setof fill-in messages to a communications device of another user in thesocial network that creates an appearance to the other user in thesocial network of no reduction in the conversational cadence, whereinproviding the set of fill-in messages comprises retroactivelyautomatically distributing a portion of the set of fill-in messages tothe other user over at least an earlier preset time period correspondingto when the reduction in the conversational cadence occurs, wherein theportion of the set of fill-in messages are retroactively automaticallydistributed over the earlier preset time period that corresponds to thereduction in conversational cadence of the user by automaticallypredating the set of fill-in messages by the processor to correlate withthe conversational cadence associated with the user and each message ofthe portion of the set of fill-in messages indicating a time separationthat correlates to the conversational cadence associated with the user;and identifying the fill-in messages as being provided by a system onbehalf of the user by including an indication or obvious notification inthe fill-in messages that the fill-in messages are provided by a systemor machine and not the actual user.
 35. The system of claim 34, wherethe set of functions further comprises: determining a schedule fortransmission of another portion of the set of fill-in messages based onthe conversational cadence of the user; and transmitting the otherportion of the set of fill-in messages in the social network accordingto a schedule based on the conversational cadence of the user to createthe appearance of no reduction in the conversational cadence.